A Life Worth Living
by The Lilac Elf of Lothlorien
Summary: After the Dursleys abandon him after his 5th year, Harry begins to start living his own life. When his parents and godfather come back into his life, Harry is finally living the life he should have been all along. Now if only Voldemort would just drop dead already...
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTES: So I was going through some of my old story notebooks from back when I used to handwrite my stories before typing them up. Some of them I junked, but this was one of the ones I deemed good.

STORY SUMMARY: After Vernon Dursley dumps Harry at the side of the road after Harry's 5th year, the teenager decides to take control of his own life. He finds his family, and learns some surprising secrets along the way.

* * *

HARRY POTTER: A Life Worth Living

The first thing that made Harry Potter nervous as he sat in the back seat of the Dursleys' car on the drive home from King's Cross Station after his 5th year at Hogwarts was the smug grin on his uncle's face.

It was the same look the portly man had worn just before Harry's 11th birthday, commenting on how wonderful Sunday was since there was no mail post on Sundays.

But Harry had a sneaking suspicion that this time, Vernon Dursley had a plan and it would _not_ favor him at all.

The second thing that made Harry nervous was when Vernon headed off the main roads and headed down a very long stretch of dirt road. After a while, when Harry guessed that they were at least a good hour away from any town or village, his uncle sharply pulled off to the side of the road and threw the car in park, not even bothering to turn the engine off.

Harry's fears were confirmed as he watched his uncle pull the knapsack, trunk, and owl cage out of the trunk of the car and dump them on the ground before storming over to Harry's side of the car and barking, "Get out! Now!"

Not wanting to run the risk of setting of the man's temper any further, Harry complied, barely having time to slam the door closed before Vernon was back in the car, peeling off and sending gravel flying everywhere.

Setting the owl cage upright as he sat on the trunk and making sure that Hedwig was unhurt, Harry surveyed the surrounding area and estimated that he was at least an hour's walking distance from anyone's home. "Good, show, Vernon," Harry muttered, stroking Hedwig's feathery head through the bars of the cage. "You really thought this one out proper, didn't you?" The obvious—albeit, temporary—solution to the situation at hand, Harry deduced was to summon the Knight Bus and head back to Little Whinging and Number 4 Privet Drive.

But did Harry _really_ want to go back to that? No, he decided, firmly. True, he was on his own right now and no one knew where he was, but… Harry straightened up as it dawned on him. He was on his own. No one knew where he was. He could do whatever he liked with his life now!

First, he needed to get to Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. Not only did he need to get some general funds, but he wanted to know if the wizarding bank held any other financial records for his family.

Pulling out his wand, Harry grinned as he saw the big, purple, triple-decker bus appear in front of him. Once he got to London, everything would change.

xxxxxxx

Step one of Harry's plan _had_ been to get a full listing of his family's assets—since he was certain there were things Albus Dumbledore had withheld from him—but the rumbling of his stomach reminded Harry that he hadn't eaten in a while so he grabbed a quick bite at the Leaky Cauldron before arranging a room for a few days.

X

After a good night's sleep and a filling breakfast, Harry grabbed his money bag, vault key, and wand before heading out and through the hidden gateway into Diagon Alley.

Once inside Gringotts, Harry approached the first available goblin, a younger looking fellow with unusually long fingers and slightly floppy ears, and asked as pleasantly as possible, "I would like a full list of my family's assets, please."

The goblin studied Harry closely, along with the key the young man handed over, and headed towards a small room to the right of the lobby, beckoning Harry to follow him. "Last name, please," the goblin said, cordially, fitting the key into the lock of a file cabinet in the corner.

"Potter," Harry replied, watching in amazement as the goblin opened the cabinet revealing only a single, albeit filled, file folder.

"This contains a detailed account of all finances and properties owned or managed by the Potter family," the goblin explained, handing the file over to Harry. "Currently, only your school fund is acessable until you turn 16. However," he added with a smirk. "—you can appoint someone to manage and monitor your vaults which would transfer control of your assets from Albus Dumbledore to yourself."

"I definitely want to do that, then," Harry agreed, eagerly, nodding as he spoke. Out of curiosity, he asked, "Er… what's your name?"

The goblin looked embarrassed as he replied, "Skippy." At Harry's amused look, he added, "My father was actually a house elf. It's a long story, sir."

But Harry didn't press the issue. Instead, he smiled at his new account manager and offered, "How about if I just call you 'Skip'?"

Skip nodded, his ears flapping slightly. "That would be preferable, sir," he replied, smiling. "I will make the arrangements for the transfer immediately. "Please wait here for a moment."

Sitting at the small table, Harry looked at the list labeled 'Material Assets' which apparently included a multi-compartment trunk, wand holsters, a myriad of potions—including a special formula to assist with becoming an animagus—and even a few pieces of furniture.

Turning to the page listing his family's property holdings, Harry saw pictures of a studio flat in London, an ivy-covered manor in Ireland, an estate in New York in the United States, and a two level loft apartment in Canada.

Wondering where he should start, Harry was torn between the Irish manor and the flat in London. London would be the best choice to live as it was close to both Diagon Alley and King's Cross station. But he wanted to check out the manor first to see if it would be someplace he might want to move into later. Perhaps when he finally got married and started a family.

Once Skip had returned with the necessary paperwork, Harry signed as required and accepted a key ring with 7 different keys hanging from it.

"Would you like to see your vaults now?" Skip asked after filing the papers away.

"Yes, please," Harry replied, standing and following Skip to the carts. When they arrived at the first vault, Harry studied the door closely, looking for any sort of clue as to which key would unlock it. In the upper left corner of the door, he finally spotted a small hoofprint engraved into the wood. Looking down at his new set of keys, Harry found one with an identical mark. Opening the door, Harry found himself staring at what looked like a large storage room.

Walking inside, Harry found a bag hanging on a hook nearby and started grabbing some odds and ends he wanted to take with him including a few of the wand holsters, the animagus potions, a couple journals, and a very nice knife in a leather sheath.

Going over to the trunk in the corner, Harry found it to be the multi-compartment type with different locks depending on which chamber he wished to enter and a built in shrinking charm for easy transport.

After leaving the storage vault, Harry hit his regular vault to stock up on funds before heading out of the bank, thanking Skip once again for his assistance.

Making his way from shop to shop, Harry purchased all the basic supplies he needed including potions supplies, parchment, ink, and new clothes.

Before heading back to the Leaky Cauldron for the evening, he headed towards Ollivander's wand shop. Harry had been thinking about getting a second wand ever since finding out that his wand and Voldemort's had twin cores but he'd never had the proper opportunity to do so until now.

Strangely enough, it seemed, as Harry stepped into the dusty shop stacked top to bottom with wand boxes, Ollivander had apparently had the exact same thought as he greeted Harry warmly. "I knew I'd be seeing you again, Mr. Potter," the wandmaker said, smiling. "I expected to see you after your 4th year, in fact. Still… it gave me the time to fabricate another wand for you." He pulled out a pristine wand box and handed it to Harry who opened it, revealing a 13 inch wand with a mahogany handle. "Made from the Whomping Willow on the Hogwarts grounds with a core of three hairs from an ordinary stag," Ollivander explained as Harry held the wand.

"It's beautiful," Harry replied, smiling. "Thank you, sir." Withdrawing his money bag, he asked, "How much is it?"

Ollivander put a hand on Harry's forearm, shaking his head. "This wand may not be the most extravagant I have ever made, but I feel like this is my best work. Consider it my gift to you."

xxxxxxx

When Harry lay down on his bed later that night at the Leaky Cauldron, he felt very pleased with everything that he had accomplished so far. He felt like he had taken the first major steps to being on his own.

Tomorrow, he would check out the manor in Ireland before coming back to London to get the rest of his things before he to move into the flat his mother had apparently lived in with her parents when she was a teenager.

Once he got settled, he would send Hedwig with messages for Remus Lupin, Hermione Granger, and the WEeasley family.

Thinking how proud his godfather, Sirius Black would be if he was still alive, Harry turned over in bed and fell asleep.

* * *

It was nearly noon when Harry stepped off the Knight Bus at Marauders Manor, staring in awe at the ivy covered stone and the sheer size of the place. There was a large lake off to the right and as he walked around the outside of the manor, he saw a quidditch pitch in back.

Hefting his knapsack up onto his shoulder, Harry walked up the driveway, his shoes crunching gravel as he headed up to the front door which, surprisingly, was unlocked. Reaching a hand into his pocket and closing his fist against his wand just in case, he stepped into a beautiful marble and wood foyer, looking about. There was a spiral staircase to the left and a sitting room to the right connected to a beautiful kitchen.

As Harry headed towards a glass fronted maple cabinet, he was hit from behind with a stunning spell and he went sprawling onto the floor, unconscious.

Wand held out, cautiously, a woman with red hair and vibrant green eyes stepped out from behind a statue of a phoenix and slowly approached the prone figure. Kneeling down, she turned the teenager over, gasping as she saw his face. Standing up and backing away quickly, she exclaimed, "No, it can't be!"

"Lily?" A man with messy black hair and glasses said as he came down the stairs from the second level of the house, stopping dead when he saw his unconscious son lying on the floor. Looking from his wife to his child and back again, James was flabbergasted. "What the…? Lily… He's supposed to be _dead_!"

Lily knelt down next to Harry. She gently stroked his cheek with one hand before brushing his bangs away from his face, her breath catching slightly at the sight of the lightning shaped scar on his forehead. "He's alive," she said, happily, tears in her eyes as she looked up at her husband. "James, our little boy is alive." Wiping her tears away as she stood, she pointed her wand at Harry and said, " _Ennervate._ "

As Harry stirred and opened his eyes, he wondered just how hard he had hit his head on the marble floor. His mother and father were smiling down at him and they looked even happier than they ever had in any of the pictures he had. Reluctant to believe his eyes, Harry slowly sat up. "Mum? Dad?" His smile faded as he tenderly touched his head where he'd hit the floor. "Am I…dead?"

Lily started sobbing as she again dropped to her knees beside her son, pulling him into a suffocating embrace as she said, "My little Harry! I can't believe you're really alive!"

"Mum, I can't breathe," Harry gasped after a moment. Also, his head was starting to throb.

"Oh, honey! I'm sorry!" Lily said quickly, easing up on the hug before using her wand to fix her son's growing headache. As mother and son got to their feet, Lily's eyes shone with a fresh wave of tears as she studied Harry. "You look so much like James. And you got my grandmother's nose, too."

James waited until Harry turned in his direction and smiled, tears shining in his eyes as well. "I can't believe I'm really looking at you. After that night… when Lily and I came to… the house was half destroyed and you were gone." Hugging Harry, James added, "We thought you were dead." Pulling away a bit, he continued. "We… We cut off all ties to the wizarding world, lived here like muggles…"

"We were in mourning for so long," Lily said, picking up the story, knowing her son wanted to know why they hadn't come to find him sooner. Looking a bit guilty, she added, "When you entered in the house, we thought you could be a Death Eater or something. I'm so sorry I had to stun you like that, honey."

Harry shrugged off the apology. "It's okay, Mum. I'm okay… and I have you back."

"What about Sirius?" James asked, suddenly wondering why Harry had arrived alone.

"He…" Harry's voice caught in his throat and he said nothing as his mother led everyone into the sitting room to sit down. "It was my fault," Harry said, finally, crying as he spoke. When he felt Lily put a comforting arm around him, he turned towards her, not wanting to look at his father for fear of how he would react. "Last year, Voldemort sent me this vision of Sirius being tortured in the Department of Mysteries and… and I went to try and save him." Harry got choked up again and he started sobbing as he said, "If it weren't for me, Sirius wouldn't be…"

"Oh, Harry, I am so sorry," Lily replied, softly as she pulled her son towards her, rocking him gently like she used to do when he was a baby. "Oh, my poor baby."

James couldn't find his voice as the news sunk in. Sirius was dead? It couldn't be. There had to be some mistake…

Hearing the front door opening again, James felt himself on high alert as he pulled out his wand, standing up and blocking Lily and Harry from whoever was intruding. But the thin piece of wood fell from his hand and clattered when it hit the floor as James just stared at the figure staggering in front of him.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted as he jumped up and ran to his godfather, hugging him tightly and not noticing when Sirius gave a grunt of pain.

"Oh, my God, look at you!" Lilly exclaimed, worried as she took in Sirius's ripped and bloody clothes and the bruises on his face. Going over to Sirius, she gingerly touched the gash on his forehead. "Come sit down. Come on. This way."

When Sirius went to take a step, his left leg buckled and James and Harry had to catch him before he fell. "Yeah, I… I think I broke it at some point," he said, vaguely. Once Lily used her wand to splint the leg, he gave her a weak smile. "Thanks."

Slowly, the group made their way to the sitting room, James helping his best friend sit down on the couch. "Sirius… What happened? Harry said you were _dead_!"

But Sirius passed out before he could answer, leaving the Potters with more questions than answers.

xx

While Lily worked on healing Sirius's injuries, James apparated with Harry to the Leaky Cauldron to get the rest of Harry's things. Seeing the small assortment of heavily worn muggle clothes, James looked questioningly at his son. "We didn't leave you enough money for new clothes?"

Harry avoided his father's gaze for a few moments but then sighed as he sat on the bed. This was his dad, not his uncle, he reminded himself. "Dad, I wasn't living with Sirius the past 14 years or so," he said, slowly, looking nervous. "Sirius was… in Azkaban for murdering you, Mum, and 12 muggles… and Peter Pettigrew."

James sat down on the chair in the corner of the room, shaking his head. "Harry, I am so sorry. I wish we had never trusted Pettigrew in the first place." With a dry laugh he added, "So how was it growing up with Moony?"

Harry licked his lips and said, "I… didn't grow up with Lupin, either." At his father's questioning look, he explained. "Dumbledore gave me over to Mum's sister, Petunia, and her husband, Vernon."

James stiffened and he felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he thought of how uneasy Harry had seemed when James had hugged him earlier, and how Harry wouldn't look at him when talking about Sirius's death. Waiting until Harry looked him in the eye, James asked, "Did they ever hurt you, physically?"

It took a while for Harry to reply. "You mean abuse? Beating me?" When his father nodded, Harry nodded in return. "Yeah. Uncle Vernon hit me whenever he felt the inclination. Dudley, my cousin, did the same." And he then proceeded to give James the short version of the past 14 years with the Dursleys.

James rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. He wanted so badly to find the Dursleys and make them pay. He wanted to tell Lily all the details, knowing that she would show no mercy to her sister, nephew, and brother-in-law. But when he opened his eyes, seeing Harry's scared look, James, strangely enough, felt the storm raging inside him quiet almost instantly. The teenager's expression said it all. Harry was afraid his father would go crazy… hurt the Dursleys… get locked up. James had just gotten Harry back. He couldn't risk losing his son again because of some revenge campaign.

Standing and going over to Harry, James put his hands on Harry's shoulders, looking down and smiling as he said, "It's all in the past, Harry. Okay? Forget everything that happened. "It's over. You're with me and Lily now, and we love you. We will _never_ hurt you. I promise."

Harry stood and embraced his father, feeling the man hugging him back, tightly. "Don't tell Mum," Harry cautioned.

Pulling away, James laughed as he packed up the rest of Harry's things. "Harry, for the record, _I_ would have left your aunt, uncle and cousin alive to face the muggle courts. Lily, kind and reserved as she may seem, can be as dangerous as Hellfire when provoked enough. I have no intention of telling your mother anything."

* * *

Arriving back at Marauder Manor, James and Harry found Lily in the kitchen with Sirius who looked much better than before. He sat at the counter of the kitchen island, a sad smile on his face as he watched Lily making dinner. Turning when he heard footsteps, he stood and hugged Harry who returned the embrace, happy tears in his eyes. "Harry, I'm so sorry," Sirius said as Harry apologized at the same time. But Sirius waved the apology away. "You thought you were doing the right thing, Harry," Sirius insisted. "I shouldn't have gone in the first place, or… I should have been more careful."

"It wasn't your fault, Harry," Lily insisted, noticing that her son was still feeling guilty. "No one is blaming you for any of this."

"I'm here, Harry," Sirius said, smiling at his godson. "I'm alive…your parents are alive. And you are going to have the life you should have had all along with all of us, together."

"Sounds great," Harry replied, smiling earnestly as his mother continued making dinner with Sirius and James' help.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Ron Weasley couldn't believe that the only message he'd received from Harry all summer was a cryptic message to be at the top of the highest hill in Ottery St. Catchpole at 7 in the morning on July the 25th.

After the debacle at the Department of Mysteries, Ron had owled his best friend frequently to see how he was doing but had received no reply until now.

When Molly Weasley read the letter, she felt uneasy letting Ron and Ginny go alone but thinking on it further, she knew that her youngest children were more than capable of taking care of themselves if there was trouble—the events of the previous year at Hogwarts proved that.

And so, after a long uphill climb, Ginny and Ron flopped down on the grass at 5 minutes until 7, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen next. But before the two could even stand to react, two hooded figures apparated out of nowhere and grabbed the two teenagers, disapparating as quickly as they had arrived.

X

When Ron and Ginny landed in a very plush living room, Ron whipped out his wand, holding it in his right hand while he kept his left arm around his sister, shielding her. "Don't even think about laying a hand on my sister, you Death Eater scum!"

One of the figures let out a bark-like laugh as he pulled his hood back, smiling as he looked at the two teenagers. "It's alright, Ron. Stand down, son."

"Sirius?" Ginny said, dumbfounded as she stepped around her brother. "But… you died! We saw you fall through that veil!"

Sirius's smile faded as he nodded, thinking of the memory of that night. Not wanting to get into the full story right that moment, he shrugged. "Let's just say… I wasn't ready to go and getting out was a lot harder than going in the first place."

Ron wasn't sure to make of that, but he supposed that Sirius had a point. Before he could reply, however, a third hooded figure apparated into the room, holding Hermione Granger who was fighting as hard as possible to free herself from her abductor's grasp.

"Calm down, Hermione!" Sirius said, quickly before anyone got hurt.

But Hermione was not about to calm down any time soon. Seeing Ron and Ginny, she pulled out her wand and was about to start using every spell in her arsenal when her 'attacker' revealed herself along with the second hooded figure.

Sirius looked from Harry's friends to James and Lily, waiting for someone to say something. "James and Lily didn't actually die. Voldemort knocked them out and when they came to, their house was half demolished and Harry was gone."

"Did Dumbledore know you two weren't dead?" Hermione asked, suspiciously. "I mean, why wouldn't you have contacted him to find out where Harry was?"

"We thought Harry was dead," Lily explained. "And when we hadn't heard from Sirius in a few days… We came here to try and figure out what to do next," she finished, gesturing at the manor. "We didn't want to believe that Harry was actually gone at first. We tried reaching out to a few friends, but everyone thought _we_ were dead. So we just stayed here and lived like muggles… Until Harry found this place."

Ginny looked around the manor for a second and finally asked, "Where is Harry?"

As James led everyone into the kitchen, they found Harry pulling two pans of muffins out of the oven and setting them on the counter to cool. "Hey, guys," he said, looking at Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. "How are you?" Instantly, a barrage of questions came from his friends and after a moment, Harry let out a long sigh. "It's a long story," he began. "How about I tell it over breakfast?"

x

After a lengthy breakfast and an even longer discussion about Harry's past with the Dursleys—earning Harry and James a glare from Lily—Harry finally explained how he had found Marauder Manor in the first place.

"…so after Vernon dropped me off in the middle of nowhere, I called the Knight Bus and headed to the Leaky Cauldron and—" Harry broke off when he saw the look on his mother's face. Her green eyes were ablaze and she looked ready to kill. "I, uh… I didn't tell you a-about that?"

"No," Lily said, frowning at her son. "No, you must have skipped that part." Standing up from the table, she looked at the others. "Excuse me, please. I am going to have a little _chat_ with my sister and her family."

"You know what?" James said, standing as well. "I think I'll come with you."

But instead of agreeing, Lily glared at her husband who straightened up, preparing himself for a fight. "I don't need a babysitter, James," Lily replied.

"You know what, Mum?" Harry piped up, standing as well. "I think I'd like to 'talk' to the Dursleys myself."

"Don't leave us out," Ron added as he, Ginny, and Hermione stood as well.

When Lily looked at him, Sirius shrugged. "I'll stay here," he decided after a while. "Someone's gotta clean up the kitchen."

"Fine," Lilly said, looking at the others again. "Let's go."

When Lily was out of earshot, Ron whispered in Harry's ear, "Bloody Hell! Your mum is even scarier than mine when she's angry!"

"You have no idea," James whispered to Ron as the group headed out.

* * *

The calm quiet of Number 4 Privet Drive was shattered by a loud banging at the front door. Petunia and Vernon exchanged looks somewhat nervously. It had been just over a month since they'd finally rid themselves of Harry Potter and all his magic nonsense. Could he have come back to take revenge? Or was it his friends, looking for payback on Potter's behalf?

Petunia slowly got up from the living room and went over to the door, opening it just a crack before slamming it shut again and backing away, frightened by what she had seen.

A second later, the door was silently blasted open by James Potter and Sirius Black who stepped aside to allow Lily Potter into the house.

"You're _dead!_ " Petunia shrieked in alarm at the sight of her sister and brother-in-law standing in her foyer.

The sounds of his wife screeching in fear brought Vernon in from the living room just as Dudley ran down the stairs. Before the big, beefy man could ask what was going on, he was sent flying backwards, landing at his son's feet by the stairs.

"THAT'S for abusing my son!" Lily screamed as James and Sirius put up soundproofing charms. Storming over to Vernon, she kicked him hard in the side, groin, and face. " _That's_ for abandoning Harry in the middle of nowhere!"

As she went to kick him again, James pulled his wife back, keeping a firm grip on her arm. "Lily. Lily… save some for the rest of us."

"Get out of my house!" Vernon snapped angrily as he slowly and painfully got to his feet before wiping blood from his face from where Lily had broken his nose. "Get out or I will have you arrested for breaking and entering as well as attempted murder!"

Sirius smirked as he looked at the Dursleys. "We haven't tried to kill anyone," he replied, glibly.

"Not yet," Lily snapped, trying to pull her arm free from James' grasp.

"On the other hand," James added, not loosening his hold on Lily's arm in an effort to keep her from physically attacking Vernon again. "—we could have _you three_ arrested for mistreating Harry. Let's start with malnourishment, neglect… psychological, emotional, _and_ physical abuse…"

"Petunia, do something!" Vernon bellowed, angrily. This was his _wife's_ problem, Damnit! It was _her_ fault this freakiness had invaded their lives.

But before Petunia could do anything, Harry used his wand to tie up the Dursleys and send all three across the room onto the couch.

Sitting down on the chair across from the couch, James waited until Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had flanked the Dursleys before speaking again. "Now, I'm going to keep this very simple. Petunia, you and Vernon are going to compensate Harry for—"

"I am not giving that freaky, wretched brat _ANYTHING!"_ Vernon roared, struggling against his ropes.

"Harry?" Lily said, with startling calm as she finally pulled her arm free from her husband's hold. Turning to her son, she asked, "Would you use some sort of spell on Dudley?"

Harry shrugged and thought for a moment or two. "Anything particular you have in mind?"

Lily shrugged and took a step back, letting her son have a better shot at Dudley. "Whatever you like."

Pondering his choices, Harry pointed his wand at his cousin's feet, grinned, and said, " _Serpensortia!_ "

A beautiful green tree boa shot out of Harry's wand and slowly made its way up onto Dudley's lap, making the teenager scream. Sirius quickly gagged Dudley as well as his parents, watching in amusement as Harry spoke parseltounge to direct the snake what to do.

"You know, James, there is an easier way about all this," Sirius pointed out, looking from Lily to Petunia. "Lily is a blood realative. She can just tap your bank accounts, Petunia."

"I could always take Vernon's car," Harry piped up. "Mr. Weasley could show us how he did those charms to make it fly. Oh! We could turn the house into a foster home for orphaned witches and wizards."

James wasn't quite sure what Vernon mumbled through his gag, but it sounded like 'over my dead body'. "You know, that would be quite easy to arrange," James replied, shrugging. "Trash the place a little, make it look like a robbery gone wrong. Fortunately for you, I don't fancy going to Azkaban Prison over the likes of _you_."

But just as Vernon was going to protest again, Petunia turned to her husband and said, "Vernon, just give them what they want." Turning to her sister, Petunia's tone was one of defeat as she sighed and went on. "You win, Lily. Alright? Is that what you want to hear? Take whatever you want. Okay?"

Lily stared in disbelief at her sister. "You think this is about winning?" she said, her voice shaking with anger. "I just wanted to have a life with my family. I wanted my son to grow up happy, not being your… your _slave_! You never showed Harry _any_ kind of affection. He was just some… some obligation to you. The _only_ thing you did for my son was keep him alive."

"Quality of life is questionable," Sirius piped up.

Trying to calm down, Lily went on. "I am not going to report you to the police. But I will _never_ forgive you for what you've done to my son. And I am going to make sure that you suffer for your actions." Turning, she started to head for the door, but stopped, looking back at Petunia. "For the record… if our roles were reversed… I would have never treated your son the way you treated mine." Looking at the others, she sighed. "Do whatever you want to the Dursleys. I'm going to get some air."

While his father, godfather, and friends closed in on the helpless muggles, Harry went outside to talk to his mother. "Mum? Thank you for not killing them. They're not worth it."

Lily sat down on the front stoop and waited until Harry sat down next to her before speaking. "Harry, I am so sorry that your father and I never tried harder to find you. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for you, living with them."

"Mum, I never even entertained the notion that you were still alive," Harry replied. "Even when I started at Hogwarts, all anyone told me was how my parents died. No one said anything to indicate otherwise. The whole wizarding world thought you and Dad were _dead_. I'm sure anyone you tried to contact about me thought you were Death Eaters trying to find out where I was."

Putting an arm around her son and pulling him close in a one-armed hug, Lily felt tears in her eyes as she said, "I love you so much, Harry."

Hugging his mother, Harry said, "I love you, too, Mum."

* * *

On the morning of his birthday, Harry was jolted out of a dead sleep by Sirius bursting into his bedroom in animagus form barking his head off and jumping on the bed before running out of the room, howling.

Rolling over, Harry pulled another pillow over his head and immediately went back to sleep. Why couldn't Sirius just say 'happy birthday' like a normal person?

When Harry finally got out of bed a couple hours later and went downstairs, he found the entire Weasley family, Hermione, Sirius, and his parents standing underneath an enormous floating banner which read 'Happy 16th Birthday, Harry' in bold flashing letters.

After a quick breakfast, Harry followed the others into the living room where a mountain of presents was piled on just about every available surface.

"You lot didn't have to go to so much trouble," Harry said, trying to hold back a flood of tears. Oh, sure, he'd gotten presents from his friends and Mrs. Weasley before. And after reuniting with Sirius, the formerly imprisoned wizard had always made sure to give Harry something for his birthday and Christmas. But this was beyond too much.

"Harry, your father and I missed out on so many birthdays," Lily said, pulling her son in for a hug. "Besides, we also wanted to make sure we replaced every last piece of clothing you had from the Dursleys. I think at least 5 of the presents are just socks."

"Look at it this way," James said, taking Harry by the shoulders and turning him so he was facing his birthday haul. "Think of Dudley's head exploding in jealousy that you've received more presents than he ever has."

Laughing at that notion, Harry dove into his presents, delighting in the multiple boxes of trick sweets and joke stuff from Fred and George, the quidditch books from Ron and Ginny, a book on curses from Bill Weasley, and an assortment of live dragon models from Charlie Weasley. From Arthur and Molly, there was a huge box of sweets as well as a beautiful handmade quilt.

As promised, Lily had given Harry tons of new clothes ranging from muggle attire to new school clothes, to casual wear robes. There were two new pairs of sneakers as well and Harry gave both his parents a big hug before turning to the last two gifts from Sirius.

One of the gifts was a 'coupon' for animagus lessons which Sirius explained was open to Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as well. The other—parked outside near the front door—was a beautiful green motorcycle with matching helmet as well as a leather jacket in Gryffindor colors.

Harry's jaw dropped as he walked around the motorcycle, not really believing that it was his. Looking over at his mother to see if she disapproved, Harry was relieved when she smiled and nodded. "It's alright, Harry. I helped Sirius with the safety charm on it."

Getting on the motorcycle, Harry pulled the jacket on and zipped up before donning his helmet and starting the engine. Sirius had taught him weeks ago how to ride so Harry was able to easily take a brief solo ride around the property.

Once he got back to the front door of the manor where everyone was waiting, Harry beamed as he parked and cut the engine before removing his jacket and helmet.

All through the rest of the day, Harry couldn't stop smiling. He was finally living with his parents who loved him and his godfather who was happier than Harry had ever seen him. He had his friends and the means to create whatever future for himself that he wanted.

At that moment, not even Voldemort could put a damper on Harry's good mood.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Later that evening, after dinner, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny gathered in the forest clearing section of the multi-compartment trunk Harry had found in his family's vault.

James and Sirius joined them and passed around four vials of a strange, swirling potion while James explained the procedure. "Becoming an animagus usually takes months of meditations and practice. But this potion streamlines the process."

"I've never heard of this potion," Hermione said, raising a suspicious eyebrow at the two Marauders. "How did you two come across it?"

"We… invented it," Sirius admitted. "It's not exactly on the up and up."

Ron looked puzzled as well and looked at the vial of potion in his hand. "So what exactly is in here, anyway?"

James could tell that the teenagers were wary about consuming the potions and replied, "This potion induces lucid dreaming. You'll lose consciousness and then if you have the ability to become an animagus, you'll meet your animal self."

"What have we got to lose?" Harry said, opening his vial and gulping the potion down before sitting down on the soft grass.

Once the others did the same, they all sat down as well and in a few moments, all four teenagers were lying, asleep, on the ground.

* * *

 _When Harry opened his eyes, he was startled by the fact that he was alone. Getting quickly to his feet, he looked around, confused when he realized that he was not in the forest compartment of his trunk. He felt even more alarmed by the fact that he didn't have his wand._

 _In the sky, the moon was full and the light it gave off illuminated a path through the trees._

 _Harry didn't know why he felt so scared all of a sudden, but he plucked up his courage and started walking down the path, watching and listening for any sign of a threat._

 _It was several minutes before Harry finally found himself standing in a small clearing next to a pond. On the other side was a magnificent stag, drinking._

 _When Harry took a few more steps towards the pond, the stag looked up, flicking an ear in interest before walking across the pond towards him, not even disturbing the surface of the water as it did so._

"Don't be afraid, Harry," _the stag said, its voice warm and comforting._

" _I'm not afraid," Harry lied even as he felt his heart pounding in his chest._

 _The stag's eyes practically twinkled in amusement and he shook his head._ "You can't lie to yourself, Harry. You fear more than the unknown, or fear itself. You also fear being happy. You believe that the return of your parents and godfather are a cruel joke and that eventually they will be torn away from you again and you will be alone once more."

 _Harry felt his mouth go dry. How could this stag know that about him? But he couldn't deny that the animal spoke the truth. "I-I haven't had that much good in my life," he explained._

 _But again the stag shook his head, giving Harry another comforting look._ "You have more good yet to experience, Harry. You have so many, wonderful things to enjoy. You will still know hardship… but when it ends, you will know more joy than you have ever felt in your life."

 _Harry felt compelled to reach out a hand towards the stag as it took another step towards him. He took another step forward, as did the stag, until Harry's hand touched the fur on its neck. Feeling a rush of energy and comfort flooding into him, he was blinded by a flash of light._

 _Harry shut his eyes tight, not sure what was happening or even how to stop it. But just as he felt the fear rising up in him again, he heard the stag's voice one last time.  
_

"Harry… Do not be afraid…"

" _I'm not afraid," Harry said, opening his eyes as he felt the transformation take place. When it was over, he looked at the other stag and said again, "I am not afraid anymore."_

* * *

 _The only thing that Ron Weasley could think about when he woke up, finding everyone else missing, was what had been in that potion? He couldn't remember_ ever _falling asleep that quickly in his life!_

 _Standing up, he was about to check for his wand but remembered that he was in a dream. If he needed his wand, odds were good he would have it with him and when he realized he didn't, Ron figured that he was probably safe._

"Such a clever boy to figure that out so quickly," _a voice said from… somewhere. The voice was gentle and kind, yet with a mischievous tone._

" _Where are you?" Ron asked, looking around for who had spoken to him. "_ What _are you?"_

"Oh, that would be too easy," _the voice spoke again, coming from somewhere to Ron's left, near a path._ "Come find me…"

 _Ron started down the path which seemed straight enough at first, but after a minute or two, it split into a spiderweb of identical paths…_

"Come find me…"

"Find me, Ron…"

"I'm here, Ron…"

"I'm waiting for you…"

 _The voices echoed across the woods, seeming to be coming from every direction. Looking at each path carefully, Ron noticed that every other path was bathed in moonlight. Thinking of the giant chess board in the dungeon his first year, Ron looked at the path straight ahead. It was dark, so he looked at the path to the left before looking at the one just to the right of the center._

 _Closing his eyes, Ron tried to put focus on the echoing voices still floating around and giving him false direction. One voice seemed louder and clearer than the others and—eyes still closed—he walked in that direction._

 _Immediately, the echoing ceased and Ron opened his eyes, surprised to see that he was right back where he started. Only, this time, he wasn't alone._

 _A fox sat patiently in the middle of the clearing and was completely unafraid when Ron approached._ "I knew you would find me. Your friend, Hermione, has great intelligence, but books and plans will only take you so far. You have learned to see the moves ahead, and are able to anticipate what happens next."

 _Ron felt like this was the only chance he would get to find out what lay in the future and looking at the fox, he knelt down on one knee and looked the animal in the eye. "What's going on…with Voldemort and the Death Eaters… Can we really win?"_

 _The fox smiled as he came closer, watching Ron put out a hand to pet him._ "Trust your heart, Ron. Trust in cleverness and resourcefulness… Above all, trust in those you love. When you are lost, let their wisdom guide you."

 _As Ron stroked the fox's fur, he felt himself change—hands and feet became paws and his fur was a magnificent shade of red tinged with brown with his paws and the tips of his ears were black. "Thank you," Ron said, nodding as he looked at his new form.  
_

 _The fox smiled again and silently ran off into the trees, Ron running after him._

* * *

 _Hermione hadn't know what to expect after taking the animagus potion, and that scared her. It was one of the reasons she loved studying. She liked knowing the what, why, how, and what happens next of transfiguration, potions, herbology, and even ordinary muggle science._

 _She didn't like surprises and she didn't like being in situations that she couldn't predict or control._

 _Looking around the forest clearing, she spotted a path cutting through the trees and started towards it when a voice spoke from above Hermione's head, concealed by the dense foliage._

"Choose your path carefully," _the voice said, sounding oddly similar to Professor Minerva McGonagall._ "You seek strength as well as knowledge. But here you may follow only one course."

 _Hermione looked at the two paths now before her and felt torn between two outcomes she wanted desperately… and at the same time, she feared making the wrong decision. Hoping for some sort of guidance, she asked, "What if the path I choose is the wrong one?"_

"Life is not like a test you can study for," _the voice replied, kindly._ "Here, you will find a side of yourself that you have long desired to embrace. There is no wrong answer. I can not tell you what choice to make. That decision must be yours alone."

 _Hermione continued to stare at the two paths, trying to come to a conclusion, but fear of the unknown was keeping her from picking one. How could she solve this riddle if she didn't know what the rules were?_

 _The voice had said that the choice was between strength and intelligence. Hermione had plenty of both, didn't she? Making up her mind, Hermione strode forward, down the path to the left, unsure of what she would find once she reached the end._

 _After several minutes, she came to a forest clearing and was surprised to find a beautiful lioness sitting by a fallen tree waiting for her. Perched on one of the branches, a long-eared owl looked at her, it's brown eyes ever so slightly sorrowful._

 _The lioness stood, padding across the forest floor silent as a shadow, and went up to Hermione._ "The hardest thing to learn is knowing when to fight and when to step back and let others join the fray instead."

 _Hermione looked from one animal to the other, again feeling torn. "There's so much that I've read, so much that I've learned…" Looking at the owl, she said, "But you can give me the wisdom to understand things I can't find in a book." Turning to the lioness, she went on. "You would help me fight for and protect those I love, wouldn't you?"_

 _The lioness nodded once in agreement._ "Yes, I would. But still, you must choose."

 _Hermione didn't know what would become of her decision, but she knew it was one she needed to make. Harry needed her in his fight against Voldemort and the dark forces he led. Harry needed her strength_ and _intelligence to see him through. "I choose you both," Hermione said, clearly, and without any hesitation._

 _At first, neither animal moved. But after a long moment—during which Hermione feared she was about to be attacked—both animals rushed her at once and Hermione felt the lioness take her over with the owl second in command._

 _When it was over, Hermione looked at her reflection in the pond nearby, smiling as she saw the owl's eyes looking back at her, a pattern of feathers across her tan colored fur, and when she flexed her paws, her claws more resembled the talons of an owl._

 _Looking up at the starry sky, Hermione let out a roar as a warning to anyone who wished her harm._

* * *

 _It wasn't that she was afraid of being alone, Ginny thought when she woke up in the forest clearing. She wasn't afraid for herself, but rather for the others. Was this what was supposed to happen?_

 _Remembering what Harry's father had said about 'finding your animal self', Ginny got to her feet and explored the clearing, pulling back a fallen tree branch and discovering a path through the woods._

 _Walking down the path, Ginny wondered what sort of animal she would find. Something safe and ordinary, no doubt, she figured, thinking of the possibilities. Becoming a cat like Professor McGonagall would be nice, or course. Or maybe she would be a hawk or some other bird of prey._

"Why do you assume you are destined for ordinary things?" _a disembodied voice spoke from somewhere up ahead._

 _Ginny stopped in her tracks, unsure of what to say in response. "I'm not anything special," she admitted, finally. "I'm not like Harry, Hermione, or Ron. Why should I be destined to do anything extraordinary?"_

 _But the voice didn't sound convinced as it spoke again._ "Then why are you here? If you did not have the seeds of greatness within you, you would not be here. You possess great abilities and now you must harness them."

" _But I don't have any special talents," Ginny protested. "I'm not great at chess or planning like Ron. I'm not book smart like Hermione. I've never fought dark magic like Harry has. I'm just… Ginny Weasley."_

 _Coming to the end of the path, Ginny stopped again when she saw a beautiful phoenix sitting atop a tree stump, watching her with curiousity. The bird's red and gold plumage seemed to light up the darkness and when it let out a few notes, Ginny felt her spirit lift._

"It is a heavy burden—the task of elevating others," _the phoenix explained as Ginny drew nearer._ "But that is the future that awaits you. Those around you will face hard times and harder challenges. You must remind them of all they fight for…" _Seeing Ginny's trepidation, the bird went on._ "You do not have make this choice. If you walk away, you would not have to give up your destiny."

 _At first, Ginny thought that—if she chose the phoenix as her animagus form—she would be letting go of any normality she'd had before. But, in truth, normal had left her world the day she'd met Harry Potter. She was meant to help him fight Voldemort and his forces. And in order to do that, she needed to become more than she already was._

 _Walking right up to the phoenix, Ginny reached out a hand towards the bird, flinching only slightly when it burst into flames, engulfing the forest clearing with it. Closing her eyes against the brightness of the fire, Ginny heard the phoenix speak to her one last time before the transformation took her over._

"A phoenix's tears can only heal physical ailments. Your love and kindness can heal those in mental and emotional pain. This is the gift you and your family have already given to Harry Potter. You are special, Ginny. A princess among princes…."

* * *

James and Sirius took turns looking at their watches and checking to make sure the four teenagers were okay.

Both men remembered spending hours and hours trying to clear their minds, focusing on finding their animal selves. Finally, they'd asked their Herbology professor if there were any plants that could help induce a state of lucid dreaming. NOT a hallucinatory state, they had stressed, when the teacher had looked at them, glaringly. But rather a state of dreaming that they, themselves, could control. After a week of tinkering with various amounts of Mexican dream herbs, Valerian root, and peppermint, James had finally found the correct proportions of each ingredient and he, Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew had taken doses of their new potions and had spoken with their animal selves.

Looking back on how Pettigrew had betrayed them, both James and Sirius wondered how the traitor's conversation with his rat self had gone.

Back when they were students, Sirius had wanted to add African dream root to the potion mix so that he, James, and Pettigrew could have one shared dream, but James believed that each person should have their encounter privately.

Hearing a slight groan from Ron as he woke up, James and Sirius went over to him, looking eager. "Did it work?" Sirius asked.

Ron nodded, looking at the others who were starting to wake up as well.

One by one, the teenagers were able to transform, although changing back took a while. Ginny was shaken by the fact that her transformation both into and out of her animagus form took place in a burst of flame. "I need to try and work on that," she said, finally as she sat back down on the grass, exhausted.

"Well, given that, in more than 2000 years there have been 4 magical animagi," James said, comfortingly. "…you can probably expect the change to be different than most other people."

"I have a question," Ron said as they all climbed out of the trunk around dawn the next morning. Looking at his friends and sister, he asked, "What are we going to call ourselves?"


	4. Chapter 4

AUTHOR'S NOTES: So before I get into this chapter, I wanted to address the review left by ZodiacsKlaroline.

First off, the chapter where Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione become animagi is NOT a cop-out. A cop-out would be what I originally wrote down in my notebook where the four just become the animals. Each section was 4 sentences, tops.

As for why each teenager became the animal they did, let me explain myself.

Harry has always longed for some connection to his parents and (At least in this story) that plays an important part in becoming an animagus. The fact that Harry and his father become the same animal is a bond between them that nothing can break, not even death.

Ron is a very clever, street-smart person. His skill in chess proves this. He's also adaptive and able to think on his feet. Foxes are the same way.

Originally, I was just going to have Hermione become a lioness because I wanted one of the Gryffindors to become a lion. But the more I thought about it, I thought of changing things and making Hermione an owl instead. I went with giving her aspects of both animals because Hermione fits two important archetypes: the Scholar who seeks knowledge and wishes to use said knowledge to better their situation and/or the world; and the Warrior who fights to protect those they care about. Both are key aspects of Hermione's personality and you can't really separate them out, in my opinion.

As for making Ginny a phoenix, this was because of what the phoenix represents: healing and rebirth. When the Weasleys 'adopted' Harry, so to speak, they helped Harry have the life he should have had, surrounded by people who care and who would comfort and encourage him. To me, Ginny is the embodiment of everyone in her family. She has her mother's kind nature and temper, her father's curiosity, the twins' talent for mischief, even Percy's levelheadedness. Trying to pick an ordinary animal that encompasses all of that didn't really work. So I went with a phoenix which is powerful, fearless, comforting, and healing. All traits Ginny has shown throughout the books.

With that said, please enjoy the following chapter!

* * *

Chapter 4

As much as Harry was enjoying his time with his parents and godfather, there was one issue that still needed addressing: Dumbledore.

As much as Harry wanted to keep the fact that he was no longer with the Dursleys under wraps, he knew that the Hogwarts headmaster was probably trying to find out what had happened to him.

Voicing his concerns to James, Lily, and Sirius at breakfast a week after his birthday, Harry looked nervous as he awaited the response.

James nodded, reluctantly. "You're right, Harry. Sooner or later, we need to stop hiding."

But Lily wasn't so quick to agree. "Dumbledore is the one who sent Harry to the Dursleys in the first place," she argued. "He never bothered to investigate if we were actually dead, he didn't tell Harry about the prophesy or why Voldemort wanted him dead in the first place. And instead of teaching Harry occlumency himself, Dumbledore made Snape do it."

"What?" James said, looking from Harry to his wife. "When did you find this out?"

Lily shrugged and replied, "I was working with Harry on mental barriers and he told me about it. Snape did nothing to help Harry protect his mind—he just kept magically attacking Harry's mind over and over again." When James and Sirius started to get up from the table, Lily pointed an accusing finger at the pair. "Don't move, either of you. What are you up to?"

James looked nervous as he looked at Lily. "Do you mind not using occlumency on—?"

"I don't need occlumency to know when the two of you are up to something," Lily said, cutting her husband off. "I spent 7 years with you in Hogwarts. You and Sirius are up to something and it involves Snape. What is it?"

"We're not going to hurt him," James promised, trying to reassure Lily.

"Not much, anyway," Sirius muttered, thinking of everything Severus Snape had done to the Potters over the years.

Elbowing Sirius in the side, James shot his best friend a look before turning back to Lily. "We're just going to go talk to him."

"Knowing you two," Lily said, not trusting either of the two men. "—the words 'avada' and 'kedavra' will be involved."

Sirius's expression turned dark as he looked at Lily. "I lost 12 years of my life to Azkaban, Lily. Snape's not worth going back."

After James and Sirius left the manor, Lily turned and looked at Harry who seemed to be hesitant about bringing up the subject of Dumbledore again. "Soon as we clean up the kitchen, we'll go over to Hogwarts and talk to Dumbledore."

Harry nodded, silently, as he stood, helping his mother take dishes to the kitchen sink. In truth, he did want to confront the headmaster with all the questions he'd amassed over these past two months. But also, he just wanted to enjoy the rest of his summer before heading back to Hogwarts.

Lily felt the same way as she washed dishes and put some of the food back in the refrigerator. There were so many things she wanted to confront Dumbledore about—why he'd give Harry to the Dursleys instead of Sirius, why he hadn't investigated when Sirius had been charged with murder and thrown in Azkaban… Why he'd never looked into the rumors that James and Lily had survived…

More than that, Lily thought… Maybe Dumbledore could explain how she, James, and Sirius were alive when they should be dead.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore liked to pride himself on the fact that he was very difficult to surprise or shock.

But when Harry Potter walked into his office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with his mother, Lily, the headmaster found himself at a loss for words. It took nearly 2 full minutes for him to find his voice, and when he did so, he said, simply, "You've had the wizarding world in a bit of a stir, Harry."

Harry didn't look the slightest bit abashed as he and his mother stood before the headmaster's desk. "The Dursleys dropped me off in the middle of nowhere," he explained, his tone even. "—so I had to make other arrangements. I also found about my family's properties and the other vaults in Gringotts. One of the goblins there is now managing all of my accounts."

"I see," Dumbledore replied, calmly. Unsure of how to respond to Harry's news, he turned his attention to Lily. "It is good to see you alive again, Lily. I presume James is alive as well?"

Lily nodded in reply, trying to keep herself calm. "He is. As is Sirius. What we don't know is why or how. I was hoping you had some answers."

Trying out his new legilimency skills on Dumbledore, Harry wasn't surprised that he couldn't get through the aged wizard's mental barriers, but there were a few snatches of images that he found extremely interesting. Deciding to voice his primary question, Harry asked, "Sir, did you know my parents were still alive?"

Dumbledore had not been expecting Harry to be so straightforward with him, but lately the young man was full of surprises. And if Harry was already starting to get good at legilimency, he knew that any lies would be ferreted out rather quickly. "I heard whispers and rumors over the years, of course." The headmaster admitted. "But I didn't think that they were real. Over time, the rumors went away and I presumed that they were simply wishful thinking."

"Why didn't you ever check?" Lily wanted to know, stunned that no one had bothered to _confirm_ that she and James were dead. "You just shipped my son off to my sister's and took charge of our family accounts at Gringotts? Were you even going to tell Harry about the other vaults?" Lily was losing control of her temper and she didn't care, honestly. "You never bothered to check on Harry _once_ while he was there!" Leaning on Dumbledore's desk, glaring at the headmaster, she went on. "Did you know Harry had been abused by the Dursleys? He was beaten, locked up, starved… Did you even care about Harry? Or did you just want him as your weapon against Voldemort? And, for that matter, what would you have done if Harry had taken everything he'd been through and joined the Death Eaters?"

Dumbledore didn't know what to say to the accusations but he knew that he didn't have much of a defense. Gesturing to Harry and Lily to sit down, he leaned forward, looking sorrowfully at the pair. "Harry, I never should have handled things the way I did. You're both right, of course. I should have been more diligent about finding out the truth about what happened that night. I took the situation at face value and acted as I saw fit."

Harry could tell that his mother was still furious, but he also knew that there wasn't much that could be done about the past at this point. Shifting subjects, he asked, "Do you have any idea how Sirius could have come back through that veil?"

The headmaster leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "After the debacle in the Ministry of Magic, there was another incident in the Department of Mysteries. An unknown person came out of the Veil and quickly disapperated before they could be questioned. I would assume it was Sirius. As for how he was able to make his way back from beyond, I cannot say." When the Potters stood to leave, he looked at Lily. "Lily, if you would be willing, I need you to visit Horace Slughorn on my behalf."

Lily crossed her arms, looking annoyed at the idea of the person who had kept her son from her for 14 years asking for a favor. "I'm not keen on doing any favors for you right now, Dumbledore. Why am I going to talk to Slughorn?"

Dumbledore was as calm and pleasant as ever and there was a fresh twinkle in his eye as he explained. "I need you to persuade Slughorn to return to Hogwarts to teach Potions this year."

"Potions?" Harry repeated, curious. "What about Snape?" Glancing at his mother, Harry noticed that her brow had furrowed slightly in concern.

The twinkle in Dumbledore's eye grew more pronounced as he went on. "Snape has been, er... indisposed and will, unfortunately, be unable to teach this year. I have already spoken with a friend about taking over Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I am still in need of a Potions professor."

Lily nodded and led Harry out of the office.

"Mum, you don't think that Dad and—" Harry began, looking worried.

"Harry, you don't want to know what I'm thinking right now," Lily warned.

* * *

When James and Sirius heard Lily and Harry come home that evening after talking to Dumbledore, they prepared for the inevitable explosion from Lily regarding their 'talk' with Snape.

But when James saw the smile on his wife's face it made him incredibly nervous. "Uh, Lily… why are you smiling?"

"Oh, James," Lily said in an overly sweet voice as she started preparing a roast for dinner. "You're so paranoid sometimes." Chopping onions and potatoes, she went on. "Harry and I were talking about Snape on the way home. You know… how he treated Harry and such."

Sirius glanced at James, not sure when the other shoe was going to drop. It was never a good thing, after all, when Lily was this sweet and nice. "So, you… You're not upset that we may have jinxed Snape so bad he had to go to St. Mungo's?"

Lily had to keep herself from smiling too much as she took note of how twitchy James and Sirius looked. Knowing it would make them squirm even more, she let out a light, good-natured laugh. "Of course not," she replied, throwing a wink at Harry who also doing his best to stifle his laughter. "I know you boys must have shown as much restraint as you possibly could. You'd _never_ do anything illegal, after all."

"Right, of course not," the two Marauders replied, nodding and talking in unison.

"Because neither of you want to see me really, _really_ angry, right?" Lily added, brandishing the knife she'd been using to chop the vegetables. When Sirius and James started stammering, talking over themselves about what had happened with Snape, each accusing the other of being responsible for any escalation, Lily finally put the knife down and let out the laughter she'd been holding in.

At first, James was afraid that Lily was about to let loose with the full range of her wrath, but when Harry started laughing as well, James realized that—just like when they were teenagers—Lily had masterfully gotten him wound up just to mess with him.

"I can't believe she got you again!" Sirius said, joining in the merriment.

"Shut it, _Snuffles_ ," James snapped, halfheartedly, giving his best friend a minor shove. "She got you, too."

Conceding the point begrudgingly, Sirius looked at Lily who was wiping tears from her eyes and asked, "So who is taking over for Potions, then?"

"Horace Slughorn," Harry replied, putting the roast in the oven for him mother. "Mum said he's a pretty cool professor."

"If you don't mind the occasional fussy, fancy dinner party," Lily added. Hearing the frond door open, she quickly went to see who had arrived and came back to the kitchen followed by Remus Lupin who was looking rather haggard.

"Full moon tonight," Remus explained when his friends and Harry looked concerned by his appearance. "I already took a dose of the wolfsbane potion, in case you were wondering." After sitting down with a glass of bourbon from Lily's liquor cabinet, Remus looked at his two best friends. "I was wondering if I might ask the two of you a favor."

When Harry had left the room to go upstairs while dinner was cooking, James quickly said, "Moony, of course its okay if you stay here the next couple days. We'd love having you around."

"Thanks, Prongs," Remus replied, nodding. "But I actually wanted to ask you something else. Dumbledore approached me about taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year."

Sirius laughed at that and elbowed James good-naturedly. "Always the responsible one, eh, Remus? Alas, those poor students will never know just how wild their mild-mannered professor used to be."

"Well, you can tell them yourselves," Remus replied, straight faced. "I turned Dumbledore down but I said that the two of you would be more than delighted to take up the post."

James and Sirius were dumbstruck for a moment but then began laughing uproariously. "Yes!" Sirius exclaimed, gleefully. "Oh, this is going to be fun!"

"Those poor students won't know what hit them!" James said, grinning ear to ear.

"Oh, for the love of God," Lily sighed, leaning against the counter, rubbing her face with both hands. "Hogwarts will never recover from this."

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, we return to Hogwarts and the Marauders are on the loose! Thankfully, McGonagall's not afraid of much…..except, perhaps a prank war.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Harry noticed that as the start of the new school year grew closer, his father and godfather were acting even stranger than usual. More than once, Harry had overheard his father talking about how dangerous something could be to which Sirius would reply that Dumbledore wouldn't have asked them if the situation was that dangerous.

But the stranger thing was that Lily didn't seem worried about the potential danger of whatever James and Sirius were undertaking, but rather the amount of trouble they could get into in the process of doing… whatever.

Every time he tried to find out exactly what was going on, Harry was met with subject changes from James, incredibly vague dodges from Sirius, and Lily would just tell her son not to think about it as knowing ahead of time would lead to unnecessary emotional trauma.

* * *

On September 1st, Lily drove Harry to King's Cross Station alone, since James and Sirius had left the house just before dawn that morning for some unknown reason. As Harry unloaded his things from the car trunk to a nearby trolley, he wondered why his father and godfather had been gone so early, especially given that neither man was a morning person. In fact, James was actually prone to snarling at anyone who woke him up before 9am in the morning…11am on the weekend.

Heading through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾, Harry stopped and gave his mother one last hug before boarding the Hogwarts Express. Heading down the train in search of an empty compartment, Harry stopped and did a double-take, staring at Sirius and James's grinning faces pressed up against the window of one of the compartments.

Opening the door as the two men stepped back, Harry looked baffled as he tossed his knapsack onto one of the bench seats and sat down, facing his father and godfather. "What are you two doing here?" With a laugh, he added, "This your idea of seeing me off?"

"Well, not exactly," Sirius started, sharing a mischievous look with James. Turning his attention back to Harry, he explained. "This year, we're teachers."

"You're…what?" Harry asked, confused. Was this some sort of joke? It was often hard to tell these days. "Uh… Why are you…? Wait, you're teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Harry concluded, after a moment to think about what position could possibly be open.

James cleared his throat before speaking, adopting a very grave tone. "It was a choice between telling St. Mungo's Hospital how to fix dear old Snivellus Snape, or teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Teaching seemed to be the safest choice," Sirius added with a shrug.

"You do know that no one teaching that class has lasted more than a year, right?" Harry asked, nervously. These past months he'd gotten very used to having a real life—the life he should have had—with his parents and godfather. If one of them died because of teaching…

"You sound like Lily," James replied with a light smirk and an eyeroll. "Trust me, I have no intention of actually dying. I just got you back, Harry. I'm not letting anyone tear us apart again." He understood Harry's anxiety over the situation, but honestly couldn't imagine what could possibly be so risky about being a teacher.

"And I've already fought my way out of the afterlife once," Sirius said, looking somewhat grim. "That's the last thing I ever want to do again."

Thinking of when he'd seed Sirius at Marauder Manor, Harry asked, "Is that why you were injured when you arrived at the house?"

Sirius nodded, a shadow crossing his face. "Apparently, the dead don't take kindly to someone escaping their clutches." Waving the memories away and brightening up, he looked at Harry with a grin and said, "Now tell us about Draco Malfoy…"

* * *

Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was used to Albus Dumbledore's insane ideas. Sometimes, if fact, they made perfect sense in the end.

However, allowing James Potter AND Sirius to teach impressionable students was downright mental. This was surely the craziest idea that Dumbledore had ever acted upon!

And McGonagall could only imagine the horrible things that would somehow befall the Slytherin students…

At the Welcoming Feast that evening, Dumbledore look especially pleased with himself as he watched James Potter and Sirius Black talking animatedly with Horace Slughorn, but McGonagall wanted to slap the smile right off the headmaster's twinkling face.

Poppy Pomfrey seemed equally unhappy, McGonagall noticed as she looked down the staff table. Thinking back on the pre-school term staff meeting last month, the headmistress recalled the school nurses' verbal explosion before she'd raced up to the hospital wing to stock up on supplies before storming into Dumbledore's office, demanding that he hire _anyone_ else.

Shockingly, McGonagall found herself missing Delores Umbridge. True, she had been annoying and a Ministry spy but at least she'd stuck to a hands-off approach to teaching. No danger of things getting out of control with students using magic actively.

James and Sirius would be persistently encouraging their students to actively practicing spellwork as often as possible.

Yes, Dumbledore had officially gone off the deep end this time and there was no telling what would happen next.

* * *

The next afternoon when the 6th years entered the DADA classroom, they found James Potter and Sirius Black standing at the front of the classroom, arms crossed and identical grins on their faces. The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws either grinned back or gave nods of greeting, but the Slytherins looked wary, especially when Sirius asked the class, "So who wants to practice some curses?"

Harry smirked at Ron and Hermione before looking at his father. "Pardon me, Professor Potter," he said, earning an amused look from James. "But do you mind if I duel with Draco Malfoy?"

"Feeling cocky, Potter?" Malfoy sneered as he and Harry took their positions in front of the room. "Now you've got Daddy here to save your arse?"

"Feeling a little bitter and resentful, Malfoy?" Harry replied with a grin. "Since my father _isn't_ in prison?"

Sirius raised one arm as though he was about to start a race. "On the count of three," he said as James took a seat on top of the teacher's desk. "One…two… three!"

"Serpensortia!" Harry said before Malfoy could fire his first spell. A beautiful blue coral snake shot out of Harry's wand and he quickly used his parseltongue abilities to tell the snake, "Bite _at_ him, but do _not_ break the skin."

The snake obliged by snapping at Malfoy's calf which made the Slytherin teenager jump before kicking at the snake which, in turn, lunged again at Malfoy's exposed ankle.

"Are you dueling or dancing, Malfoy?" Harr asked, laughing along with many of his classmates.

Malfoy's attention had gone from the duel to the venomous snake slithering around his feet. Feeling something touch the back of his ankle, he gave a yelp and jumped away from the snake which had been flicking it's tongue at Malfoy's ankles. Turning back to Harry, he seethed, "You'll pay for this, Potter."

"Please," Harry said, his smile never wavering. "Put it on my bill." When he saw Malfoy raising his wand again, Harry changed tactics and went with a nonverbal spell his father had taught him over the summer. _"Levicorpus!"_

Malfoy was jerked up into the air and hovered as if some invisible giant was holding him by the ankle. The blue coral snake raised itself up off the ground and made a lunge at Malfoy's nose making his cry out before starting to snivel worse than when Hermione had her wand pointed at his throat during 3rd year.

"Now since you're just hanging around, Malfoy," Harry began, enjoying the whole scenario. "I think an apology for last year is in order, don't you?"

"Over my dead body!" Malfoy snapped, shaking his head to avoid passing out as he started to feel very dizzy.

"Would you let him down, Harry?" Sirius asked, calmly, as he studied Malfoy. "Your father and I have a bet with McGonagall that we can go a whole day _without_ sending a Slytherin to the Hospital Wing."

Part of Harry didn't want to let Malfoy off the hook so quickly, but he was very curious what sort of wager was at stake so he undid the jinx as he asked, "What happens if you two win?"

"You'll find out tomorrow," James promised, vaguely. Looking at the rest of the class, he said, "Alright, class. We're going to give you a break today, but for homework, I want a list of what you consider to be the top 10 best curses to use in a duel. Your reports will be due next class and bonus points if you include counter curses."

One the bulk of the students had left the room, Sirius pulled out a battered copy of _'Advanced Potion-Making'_ and handed it to Harry who studied it, curiously. "Lifted this from the Potions classroom," Sirius explained. "Think of it as a belated birthday gift from dear, old Snape."

"Snape?" Harry said, now studying the book with a very suspicious eye.

"The book used to belong to Snape," James explained, reassuringly. "He loved to experiment in class and on his own and whenever he made improvements on potions recipes, he made notes in that book. Figured you'd benefit from having that."

Harry still wasn't sure what to make of the book, but seeing as how his next class was Potions, he figured it couldn't hurt.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

At dinner that evening, the Great Hall was abuzz with rumors about the wager between James and Sirius and McGonagall.

Some students speculated that McGonagall would be teaching the next day dressed as Snape.

Others thought the transfiguration professor would have to do some wild performance in front of the entire school.

Malfoy crowed that the bet would result in McGonagall retiring from teaching.

Wanting to mess with Malfoy, Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table and said, "If that happens, I'm sure Professor Potter could take over. He's highly skilled at transfiguration as well, you know."

Malfoy glared as Hermione turned back to the Gryffindor table, smirking.

Ron looked at Harry who was grabbing a helping of pear and strawberry crumble. "Do you know anything about what this wager is all about, mate?"

Harry shrugged as he took a bite of the crumble. "Dad and Sirius were incredibly tight-lipped about the whole thing. They wouldn't tell me anything."

x

Up at the staff table, McGonagall could _not_ believe that she'd lost the bet with James and Sirius. Perhaps she should have made different conditions—a week instead of one day. Poking irritable at her chicken pot pie, she pushed her plate away, her appetite gone.

Not wanting to be around others at the moment, McGonagall stood and strode briskly out of the Great Hall and up to her chambers to prepare herself for the following morning.

* * *

The Hogwarts rumor mill was buzzing once more the next morning and speculations were running rampant, especially when McGonagall was conspicuously absent for most of breakfast. But after a while, the main doors opened and…

Up at the staff table, Albus Dumbledore tried valiantly to hide his amusement at the sight of his usually strict deputy headmistress. McGonagall's hair—usually in a tight bun—was hanging down her back in a loose braid. Instead of her usual stern outfit, she was dressed in red silk pajamas with a blue dressing gown and she wore ankle-height satin slippers with a leopard print pattern.

McGonagall heard the whispers and light snickers from the students as she headed up to the staff table, but when she shot them a look, the faint laughter died down almost instantly. When James and Sirius laughed as she sat down, McGonagall turned to them and uttered a single word that silenced the entire room. "Detention."

X

At the end of the 6th years' transfiguration class, McGonagall pulled Harry aside and handed him an envelope. "Do _not_ open this," she said, firmly, when Harry looked curious at the envelope. "Make sure James Potter _and_ Sirius Black open it together, if you would, please."

"Of course, Professor," Harry replied, nodding, before heading off to DADA. Although he was incredible curious, he shrugged off his questions, figuring that there had also been some sort of financial wager or something.

Getting to the classroom, Harry found his father and godfather perched on the edge of the desk sharing a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Handing over the envelope, Harry said, "Professor McGonagall wanted me to give this to you. She said you needed to open it together."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at that but shrugged as James leaned over, tearing the envelope open, releasing a cloud of some kind. There was a loud 'crack' and when the cloud cleared away, James had antlers, hooves instead of feet and a deer's tail. Sirius had a dog's ears, tail, snout, and his hair was longer and shaggier than normal.

James crumpled up the envelope, a determined look on his face. "Okay. Now it's war."

* * *

It had been almost two weeks since the Marauders had been teaching and surprisingly, they had calmed down after McGonagall's retaliation for the lost bet. When either Sirius or James was asked about the change in attitude, they'd simply replied that they understood the need to set a good example for their students.

When Harry had owled his mother about the first few days of the term, Lily written back that James and Sirius never gave up on a Prank War and that Harry should be on his guard at all times. When Harry asked why he needed to be careful, Lily warned him that friendly fire wasn't unheard of. If things got really out of hand, she added, Harry was to contact her immediately and she'd be there as soon as possible.

* * *

On the two week mark exactly, McGonagall found a beautiful bouquet of alstromeria sitting on her desk as she walked into her classroom that morning, Spotting a note with the flowers, she cautiously opened it, recognizing the handwriting on the front as being James Potter's.

However, nothing happened as she opened the note, reading the message inside.

" _Just wanted to say 'no hard feelings' about that little prank you pulled on Sirius and myself two weeks ago. Enjoy the flowers!"—James_

Before common sense took over, McGonagall's natural instincts led her to smelling the alstromeria, sneezing almost instantly. A moment later, she felt herself changing into her animagus form but when she tried to change back, she was unable to do so. Jumping up on the desk, she pawed the letter over and saw Sirius's handwriting on the back.

" _Don't worry—the spell should wear off in about 48 hours. And don't worry about classes! James has it covered."—Sirius_

When the classroom door opened and James Potter walked in, grinning madly, McGonagall abandoned all restraint and pounced at the menace who had done this to her.

James was prepared, though, and caught the feline professor, quickly rubbing her neck with one hand and lightly scratching her back with the other, just as Hagrid had instructed the week before. The groundskeeper had found McGonagall in her animagus form before and knew just which spots caused the professor to give into her feline side and start purring.

It was therefore too late for McGonagall to fight back before James had put her in a large pet carrier. Vowing revenge, she could only hiss angrily and paw at the door of the carrier.

* * *

The Prank War continued well into October and the students all flip-flopped between who they aided depending on who was the current prankster and victim.

After hearing about Minerva's predicament of being stuck in her animagus form, Pomona Sprout gave her fellow Head of House a potion to transform James and Sirius into a pile of sentient vegetables.

Knowing that the Marauders wouldn't be able to resist some homemade sweets, McGonagall wrote to Molly Weasley, asking for a batch of fresh made brownies. When the goodies arrived a few days later, the formula was added to the treats and they were delivered to the unsuspecting DADA professors, courtesy of Fred and George Weasley. After the potion had kicked in, Sirius realized who the true perpetrator was and began plotting payback.

Slughorn, Flitwick, and Hagrid found themselves being asked for assistance by both sides on a regular basis and all three had to be careful that they didn't get caught in the crossfire.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny were active supporters of the Prank war and constantly did their best to fuel the fire, even going so far and owling Fred and George for ideas and supplies, both of which they proffered willingly.

Hermione was doing her best to stay out of the line of fire which was difficult as James and Sirius were asking her frequently for new ideas and ways to get back at McGonagall for her pranks on them. At first, Hermione tried asking Dumbledore to help after McGonagall had charmed all of the furniture in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to walk about if its own accord.

"Can't you do something about all this?" Hermione pleaded as she sat in the Headmaster's office one afternoon.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled warmly and he gave a regretful shrug. "Alas, James and Sirius are adults and I have very little authority over them these days," he replied, much to Hermione's vexation. "My best advice it to treat this prank war as though it were a bad storm and simply ride it out."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Next chapter, a Halloween party and we find out the REAL reason James and Lily survived that night.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Two weeks before Halloween, Dumbledore addressed the school during breakfast, smiling as he said, "This year, two of our staff have volunteered to help host a Halloween Ball. As such, all students will be permitted to go to Hogsmeade today to procure costumes." Turning to the teachers, he added, "I have been told that staff attendance is mandatory."

At the Gryffindor table, Ron looked curiously at Harry who just shrugged. "I'm starting to learn that you should always expect the unexpected when it comes to Dad and Sirius," Harry said to the silent question.

After finishing breakfast and going up to Gryffindor Tower for cloaks or jackets, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny headed out of the school and down the road towards Hogsmeade Village, pausing when they heard James Potter and Sirius Black calling out to them.

"Mind if we tag along?" Sirius asked, looking like he'd been through a tornado. Running a hand through his hair to get it calmed down, he rolled his eyes. "Wind jinx that McGonagall put on the doorway to our rooms."

"So what do you think you're going to go as?" James asked his son.

Harry thought for a moment and remembering one of the books he'd been reading lately, he said, "I think I'll go as Aragorn from 'The Lord of the Rings'. You think Dumbledore would let me borrow the Sword of Godric Gryffindor?"

"Well, if he won't," Sirius replied, straight-faced. "—let your Dad and me know and we'll nick it for you."

"What about the two of you?" Ron asked, looking from Sirius to James.

James laughed and let out an embarrassed sigh. "Lily has insisted that I dress as a muggle chef even though I possess little to no skill in the kitchen."

"And I have decided to dress as the scariest thing I can think of," Sirius said, smirking. "I'm going as Snape."

Hermione let out a snort of laughter that she quickly covered with a fake coughing fit. When the others gave her an expectant look, she sighed and said, "I don't know what I'm going to the ball as, honestly. I'll see what looks interesting when we get to the costume shop."

"Is Mum coming to the Halloween Ball?" Harry wanted to know. Seeing the reluctant looks from Lupin, Sirius, and his father, Harry stopped and waited until James faced him. "Dad, what's going on?"

"It's nothing bad, Harry," Sirius reassured him, quickly. "It's just that… much as I love Lily like a sister, she's… Well, let's just say that all the trouble you've heard we got into? Not all of that was us. Half of the pranks we got busted for were Lily's doing."

Harry stared in disbelief at the three Marauders. "You're putting me on. Mum pulled pranks when she was in school?"

"Oh, no, no…" Lupin corrected, swiftly. "She didn't just 'pull pranks'. As sweet and innocent as your mother may sometimes look, Harry, she has a black belt in causing mischief."

"You mean like when Lily cast that spell that caused—" But Sirius was cut off by James elbowing him hard in the ribs.

"We all agreed never to bring that up again!" James said, his face turning beet red in mortification. But when he saw that he had the undivided attentions of Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione, he closed his eyes for a second, letting out a deep, resigned sigh. "Alright. You know the huge jars that measure the House points?" When the teenagers nodded, he went on. "Sirius and I pulled a prank on Lily and in retaliation, she put a charm on the Slytherins' jar so that every time Slytherin House got points… Sirius and I were compelled to sing "I'm A Little Teapot"."

There were four simultaneous snorts of laughter and Harry doubled over, holding his sides as he was overcome by raucous laughter. He fell to the ground, tears streaming from his eyes as he said, "I would have paid _anything_ to see that!" Managing to get to his feet, Harry couldn't breathe and his sides hurt from laughing so hard.

"And that's why I didn't want to bring it up again," James hissed angrily to Sirius.

Once everyone to the edge of the village, Harry decided to ask the question he'd been holding in for a bit. "Dad, what was the prank you pulled on Mum?"

"Oh, Moony was the genius behind that one," Sirius interjected before James could reply. "Lily's grandmother used to take her on long birdwatching trips every summer. So Remus came up with the idea of modifying a language spell so that Lily could only speak in bird chirps."

Harry shook his head in disbelief. He'd heard stories about the antics of his father and his friends, but living with all of them was making him realize just how crazy the 4 friends had been. They'd probably put the Weasley twins to shame several times over, really.

* * *

When Lily Potter arrived at Hogwarts a few days later, her first stop had been McGonagall's office.

As a result, the next time Harry saw his father and Godfather, he was surprised to find that the two Marauders had been de-aged to about 13 years of age. Sitting at his usual desk at the front of the classroom, Harry asked, "How long have you two been like this?"

"Lily spiked our tea this morning," James explained.

"Said it won't wear off for another two days," Sirius added, frowning slightly. Turning to his best friend, he said, "We really do need to get her back for this."

"Don't worry," James promised. "I've already got a plan for my lovely wife."

"Your plan isn't going to be something that scars me for life, is it?" Harry asked, nervously.

James laughed and smiled reassuringly. "Harry, if we didn't scar you for life when you were a baby, then odds are good you're fine."

But Harry wasn't very comforted by that notion as he thought about all the goings on lately. Hearing the classroom door banging open, Harry jumped and whirled around to see who it was.

"JAMES!" Lily roared, angrily, as she burst into the room, glaring fiercely at her husband. Of course, the look was offset by the fact that she was only wearing her bra and underwear along with a pair of angel wings. "What the HELL did you do to me?!" Lily shouted as the other students started to come into the room.

Sparing his mother further embarrassment—and hoping the gesture might keep her from homicide—Harry swiftly dropped his bag on the floor and removed his robes, handing them over to his mum so she could cover herself.

"Thank you, Harry," Lily said, glowering at James again before storming out, wrapping the robes around her as best she could, although the wings made things difficult.

Frowning slightly at his father and godfather, Harry said, "Nothing that will scar me for life, eh?"

x

When Harry saw his mother again after class, she'd managed to lose the wings and was dressed in a long-sleeved purple shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. "Hi, Mum," Harry said, smiling, as he tried not to think about earlier. "Is everything okay?'"

The two stopped in a hallway alcove and Lily faced her son, looking apologetic. "Harry, I… I know it must have been… really awkward seeing me like that earlier."

Harry shifted uncomfortably as he said, quietly, "Mum, it's… It's kind of creepy when the other guys in my class are commenting that you have a great body. It was… It was weird. Very weird."

"I understand," Lily replied, nodding. Her eyes twinkling, she asked, "So how do you think we should get back at James and Sirius for that?" When Harry looked up at her in surprise, she added, "Well, you _do_ want to help me get revenge, right?'

Harry grinned back and asked, "What did you have in mind?"

* * *

On October 31st at around 6pm, the Great Hall was starting to fill with students and staff milling about.

One entire wall was filled with tables hosting a myriad of foods and beverages and where the staff table usually stood, some of the students were setting up band equipment.

Among the first to arrive were James and Lily Potter. Lily was wearing a white dress and robes and she had an elegant pair of angel wings along with a halo that hovered magically above her head.

James wore black shoes, black and white check pants, and a white chef's jacket hat.

As Sirius swept into the room, practicing his best 'Snape-glare', he silently went up to James and said in a quiet, slimy tone, "100 points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."

"I'd rethink that if I were you," James replied, turning around and looking at something over Sirius's shoulder.

When Sirius turned around, he saw Harry coming in looking both dashing and at the same time, scary. Harry's hair was longer than usual and a bit scraggly. He wore calf-height boots, dark trousers, a dark blue shirt and a hooded riding cloak. At his waist was a beautiful scabbard from which the hilt of the Sword of Gryffindor was protruding.

Ginny was next to Harry and she wore sneakers, a red and white check shirt, a white blouse and a red vest, and a red hooded cloak that reached just past her knees. She held a wicker basket and when Lily came over and lifted one end, everyone caught a whiff of fresh baked cookies.

"Mum gave me a few of her favorite recipes," Ginny explained as everyone tried a cookie. "I baked them earlier today."

"So what are you supposed to be?" Ron asked as he came in arm in arm with Hermione. Ron hadn't been able to find anything really interesting, so he had just opted to wear his quidditch uniform. Hermione, on the other hand, was dressed in a beautiful golden yellow evening gown and her curly-frizzy hair was done up in a braided knot.

"Red Riding Hood!" Hermione exclaimed, delightedly. Smiling, she admired Ginny's costume. "It looks wonderful on you, Ginny."

"And your costume?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione's gown.

Hermione beamed as she explained. "Well, there was this movie out about 5 years ago called 'Beauty and the Beast'. The main character, Belle, loved books."

"Sounds pretty perfect, doesn't it?" Ron said, smiling as he put an arm around Hermione.

As more people started to arrive, Harry was distracted for a brief moment by the sight of a young man in his late 20's leaning against one wall. Harry didn't recognize him as a student or even anyone who lived in Hogsmeade. The man kept looking at Sirius, James, and Lily and then glancing at his watch.

There was something not right about the man and Harry didn't like the way he was staring at his parents and godfather.

X

There were days that Death really hated his job.

Of course, he also hated souls escaping

James and Lily had been bad enough. Death remembered going to the Potter home in Godric's Hollow that night, watching as James tried to protect his family. James should have died that night, but instead, Death didn't collect his soul. Or Lily's.

At the time, Death figured that James and Lily would wake up, collect their son, and go on with their lives.

When that didn't work out, he kept wanting to confront the Potters about the truth but after watching the Dursleys and the Potters, Death was torn about what the right thing to do was.

And then there had been Sirius Black.

Harry Potter's godfather had fought his way out of the afterlife despite being grabbed and attacked by other spirits and collected souls.

Frowning slightly, Death looked about the room, trying to think of a solution to his dilemma. The easiest solution would just be to collect three random souls to fill the quota. Okay, sure… James, Lily, and Sirius were on a list, but that was easy enough to fix. Plus, there was still room on Death's personal list of uncollectable souls.

Scanning the students and teachers milling about, Death tried to think of who would make a good substitution. There was always the Malfoy brat, of course. And since the kid's mother had made an Unbreakable Vow with Severus Snape, if Draco Malfoy kicked the bucket, Snape would go as well, which would be a nice bonus.

Argus Filch would be next, Death decided. Now he just needed one more soul.

"The Grim is upon you, my dear!" Sybil Trelawney said, alarmingly as she swept over to Death, making him cringe.

Whenever someone predicted the death of another person, Death—or one of his underlings—had to investigate to see if it was a legitimate prediction or not. Trelawney, therefore, was an immense exasperation. Still, a thought occurred to Death and instead of showing annoyance, he smiled, warmly.

The stranger's reaction caught Trelawney off guard, and her eyes widened in surprise. "You do not fear death?"

"Lady," Death said, reaching out a hand towards the Divination professor. "I _am_ Death." He grabbed her shoulder, causing the woman to fall to the ground, dead. As the 'seer's spirit went on into the afterlife, Death turned his attention to Argus Filch. "One down, two to go…" Death said to himself.

* * *

"So Filch, Malfoy, _and_ Trelawney just…died?" Hermione asked, baffled, the next morning at breakfast.

The events of the previous night had been circulating though the school, but no one was sure what to make of the whole thing.

"Do we have any idea of how it happened?" Ron asked, quietly. The idea of three people he knew dying suddenly—whether he liked them or not—was highly unsettling.

"I have a theory," Harry whispered, not wanting anyone else to listen in. When his best friends leaned closer, Harry went on. "You remember that strange fellow we saw last night at the ball?" When Ron and Hermione nodded, he continued. "I think he was… Death. As in THE Death."

Hermione and Ron shared a horrified look before turning their attention back to Harry. "That explains why he was watching your parents and Sirius last night, Harry," Rom said, thinking about what could have happened.

"I know how it sounds," Harry said, nodding in agreement with Ron. "…but I'm glad Death didn't take my parents or Sirius."

"And you _are_ glad he took Filch, Malfoy, and Trelawney?" Hermione asked, unable to keep the appalled tone out of her voice.

Before Harry could reply, Ron interjected, an article from the morning's issue of _The Daily Prophet_ catching his eye. "Snape's dead, too," he said, showing his best friend and girlfriend the article.

Immediately thinking of Sirius and James talking about Snape being in St Mungo's Hospital, Harry looked worried as he asked, "Did Dad and Sirius cause…?"

"No," Hermione replied, strangely, as she read the article. "It says that the healers think that it was from an Unbreakable Vow." Looking up, her forehead crinkled in thought, she asked, "But who could he possibly have made the Vow with?"

"It had to have been Malfoy," Ron said, looking at the others. "Or… maybe Malfoy's parents? Maybe Snape Vowed to keep Draco Malfoy safe and when Malfoy died, Snape died as well."

Finally turning his attentions towards breakfast, Harry asked, "So is Slughorn taking over permanently as Potions professor, then?"

"That's what Dumbledore told us this morning," James replied as he, Sirius and Lily joined the three teenagers. "He also said that Narcissa Malfoy went into hiding as soon as she heard about her son and Snape. The Ministry of Magic has no idea where she might be."

"What I want to know," Lily said, looking puzzled. "Is how a healthy 16-year-old drops dead with no warning whatsoever?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged looks before explaining their theory about who the stranger at the Halloween Ball actually was and why both Draco Malfo and Severus Snape died at the same time. When they finished, Sirius seemed confused about something. "Okay… Why would Death go after Trelawney, Filch, or Draco Malfoy?"

Harry let out a sigh before replying. "Sirius, Death… wasn't after them, exactly. We think he was after you, Mum, and Dad."

Unbelievable," Sirius murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. As the reality of the situation dawned on him, however, a smile lit up his face as he crowed to James, "Prongs…We cheated Death! Death doesn't want us!"

James grinned back, equally elated. "You have a point, Padfoot, old chum. Come on—Let's go redecorate McGonagall's classroom in pastel colors!"

xxxxxx

Dumbledore was surprised to see the strange young man at his office door later that day, but realizing who it was, he let Death in and gestured for him to have a seat. "May I ask what brings you to my door?" the headmaster asked, pleasantly. "This isn't a professional call, is it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I am here on a professional level," Death replied, his tone both casual and somber at the same time. "I wanted to inform you that by taking both Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape, I inadvertently took _your_ name off of my list."

"Oh?" Dumbledore inquired, curiously. "If I may ask, by whose hand was I meant to die?"

Death sighed regretfully. "Severus Snape. I should also tell you that he was ultimately on Voldemort's side… not yours. Sorry, sir."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, saddened by the news. "He swore he was loyal to me but I always wondered if he was telling me the truth."

"He was also responsible for the deaths of multiple muggles this past summer," Death continued. "And I mean _directly_ responsible."

Leaning forward in his chair, Dumbledore thought about how to best phrase his request. "I understand that you most likely must remain objective with your duties," the headmaster began. "But if I could ask you to monitor Voldemort's activities…? I have, after all, lost a valuable spy… even if he was, at the end of the day, a double agent for the other side."

Death considered the prospect carefully. In truth, he did side with Dumbledore against the Death Eaters and it would be nice to fight on the side of good for once. Hell, it might even make his job easier in the long run. But on the other hand, he had a job to do and these days he had more to deal with than just Death Eater related murders. "I'd be more than happy to help you in any way I can, sir," Death replied, at last.

Shaking Death's hand, Dumbledore smiled secretly. "Very good, then. And if your business here is concluded, I would recommend that you be on your way… Lest the Ministry of Magic find you and question you regarding the recent suspicious deaths here at Hogwarts."

"Good idea," Death said as he stood up. "Well, I hope not to see you too soon, Professor Dumbledore." And in a puff of smoke, Death vanished from the office.

xxxxxxxxx


End file.
